Sippin' Sancerre

The dog days of summer have come early to my part of the state of
Washington. Unusually high temperatures have made me think that everyone
needs a can't-miss wine now. The answer seemed clear to me: Sancerre.

Sancerre is made from the sauvignon blanc grape in the Loire Valley of France (see my earlier article about the Loire).
The world today is awash in good sauvignon blanc from all over the
globe, from South Africa to California and of course, to the state of
Washington, but Sancerre remains the classic because it combines the
lively, fresh-picked, sometimes tart taste of kiwi and other tropical
fruits with a very special hint of minerals. All of this makes the wine
both lively and sometimes complex, resulting in a great food wine.

The famous dry white wines Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume come from the
easternmost part of the Loire Valley, as well as the dry whites from
Menetou-Salon, Reuilly and Quincy. All are made from sauvignon blanc
grapes. The vineyards of Sancerre are spread over chalky limestone and
flint hills near the town of the same name. The philosophy of winemaking
in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume has traditionally focused on preserving
the pure uninhibited flavors of sauvignon blanc and the grape's natural
high acidity. Therefore, most wine producers make the wine in large
casks or stainless steel tanks.

Although Sancerre brings to mind white wine, red and rose Sancerres
are also made. In fact, red Sancerre accounts for about 20 percent of
total production. Both red and rose Sancerres are made from pinot noir
with some gamay.

Sancerre is more expensive than Chilean or New Zealand sauvignon
blanc, but when you're looking for a can't-miss white that's great with
seafood, pasta salad, or even curried chicken, then the tasty, well-made
Sancerre is a good choice.